


The Happiest Place on Earth is Hell

by NotOneLine



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angst, Chloe KNOWS, Deckerstar - Freeform, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-02 08:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16783333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotOneLine/pseuds/NotOneLine
Summary: After making a deal, Lucifer is forced to travel to a land straight from his nightmares.





	1. A Done Deal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wollfgang](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wollfgang/gifts).



Lucifer was in Hell.

Granted, its appearance had changed since he’d last visited. Seemingly endless monolithic walls had found themselves replaced by a myriad of bright colours. The deathly silence that had surrounded him for eons was no more, broken by music that permeated the air, overly joyful and saccharine.

This was Hell though, he was sure of it. Everywhere he looked he could see tiny demons, their shrill shrieks invading his ears and piercing his very soul. The idea of remaining here in this dreadful place chilled him to the bone.

But he had no choice. He had made a vow, and in the process, learned a vital lesson.

Never give a blank cheque to a ten year old.

...

_Three weeks earlier._

Lucifer stood inside the Detective’s apartment, nervously awaiting her arrival. _“Let yourself in,”_ she’d said, perfectly aware of why he didn’t need a key to do so now. He’d found a small measure of comfort in that, that she trusted him enough to permit him entry to her home without her presence once more.

It had been a few months since the Detective had seen for herself that he was exactly who he had always claimed to be. To say things had been... difficult at first would be an understatement. The distance between them had been unbearable; for both of them, he had now come to realise. But over time, little by little, she had slowly allowed him to become involved in her life again.  
  
Work was the first step. Their partnership was natural, easy. They slipped back into their roles as detective and consultant as though they had never been apart. Which had its advantages and disadvantages. The usual push and pull between them made it easier to forget, to pretend that everything between them hadn't been irreversibly changed.

But then one of them would do something like make the other laugh, and their eyes would catch, followed by an awkward silence as they quickly looked away. It was a reminder that acting as they always had done wasn't going to fix things this time. The space between them was simply too wide for that. Those aspects of their relationship, they had taken time. It was weeks before she was comfortable enough to spend any time with him outside of work, and even longer before she was prepared to do so just the two of them.  
  
As soon as she was ready though, the floodgates opened. The Detective had been thrust into a whole new reality and he was a case she was determined to solve. Lunchtimes spent answering the basics eventually turned into evenings at Lux, where he would find himself ensconced in one of the more secluded booths, discussing one existential crisis after the other until they reached the point at which she became overwhelmed and had to leave. Then finally, for want of more privacy and a space where they could actually hear each other talk, she requested they relocate to the penthouse, and he had readily agreed, eager to spend time with her alone.  
  
Those evenings were precious to him. He indulged her questions, much more so than he had ever done with Linda. If it meant she would stay just a little longer, he would do almost anything. All he wanted was for things to go back to normal. It was a desire that had occurred far too frequently within their relationship for his liking.

The trouble was, he didn't know what normal was for them anymore. Were they colleagues? Friends? He had long given up hope of anything more than that. She knew what he was now. Who in their right mind would desire to be with a monster?  
  
Without an end in sight, they had continued on this path, establishing a new routine for both of them. Every night that Daniel was caring for the spawn she would appear, and he would prepare himself for another round of questioning. Until one evening, after a long day at the station, she arrived visibly exhausted. Immediately, he'd insisted she go home, pointing out that they could easily do this another night. All she did in return was roll her eyes, before collapsing back onto the couch.

“I know that, Lucifer,” she'd said wearily. “I want to be here, okay? Can't we just, I don't know, watch a movie or something?”  
  
He'd stood there, dumbfounded.  
  
She wanted to be here.  
  
With him.  
  
The Devil.  
  
He didn't understand it, but he couldn't bring himself to question it either. This moment, it felt like a gift. Who was he to refuse?  
  
Hours later and she'd fallen asleep, tucked into his side. He'd almost put his arm around her. Almost.  
  
The next time it happened, he did.  
  
Slowly, they started to move on. There were backslides of course, times when his anger got the better of him and his true nature would reveal itself, if only for a second. Those were the times he would see the knowledge of who he was hit home for the Detective all over again, as though she still hadn't quite connected the two halves of him together in her mind.

He had less control over his face than he had before. At one time, it had been a reflection of the result of his fall, the painful scarring a reminder of his punishment. Now though, it was different, the monster within having revealed itself. Those moments when his rage would rise, that was when it would appear, unbidden. Until a small hand on his arm would be there to calm him, with a familiar voice asking him to stop.  
  
Together, they were building something new. Something that was, dare he say it, better than what they had before. There was an underlying truth there now, and judging by her invitation here tonight, trust as well. For the first time in his long life, he felt that she could be the first person to truly know him. Which until now, was something he hadn't even realised he wanted.  
  
Those movie nights soon turned into dinner at his place, which then became take out at her place. When she had asked him to join her and the spawn for an evening of monopoly tonight, he had felt a sense of relief like no other he had ever experienced.

She accepted him. She knew who he was, what he was, and she wanted him here anyway. No doubt she still had her concerns, he would be surprised if she didn't, but she was willing to have him around her child again, and that was all that mattered.  
  
_She_ was all that mattered.  
  
Which left him here, waiting for the Detective and her progeny to return, not even willing to do so much as sit down on the sofa for fear of having his invitation revoked. He was being overly cautious, he knew. In reality, there had been one rule set by the Detective, and one rule only.  
  
Beatrice wasn't to know.  
  
Not yet, anyway. The inference that he would still be around when the child was old enough to know had given him a strange sort of thrill, his partner obviously having envisioned him there at that point. Of course, as far as he was concerned it wasn't even a question. He could imagine few circumstances in which he would willingly leave her side, and even fewer where he could be forced to.  
  
A noise from the back of the apartment startled out him out of his reverie, and he span around to find the last person he hoped to see standing there. “Mazikeen,” he said, his tone bored, uncaring. An acknowledgement was more than she deserved in his view, but at the Detective's insistence, the demon and the Devil had reached an uneasy truce. That didn't mean he had to be happy about it though.  
  
“Lucifer,” she replied bitterly. “Wasn't sure I'd be seeing you around here again.”  
  
“The same could be said about you, my dear.” He spat the last two words, making it clear how little she meant to him now. It wasn't the first time she had betrayed him of course, but this time it hadn't been just him she'd betrayed. Wasn't just him she had put in danger. On some level, he may have deserved his punishment, but the Detective was innocent. She had done nothing, and yet Mazikeen had aided the man who had nearly taken her from him. He hadn't forgiven her for that. He couldn't.  
  
How much the Detective was aware of her involvement in those events he didn't know. He had tried to tell her, of course, warn her as to what exactly she was inviting to live with her once again, but she'd told him she didn't want to hear it. And as always, especially now, he would abide by her wishes. In her mind, Maze had apologised to everyone she had hurt, and that was that. For him, things hadn't been quite so simple.  
  
He had met her apology with laughter, bitter and cruel. Not just for the notion that two simple words could somehow rectify the damage she'd done, but that the once proud demon had been reduced to such a thing. In reality, he knew was no better, but that was something he chose to ignore. After all, one rarely turns a magnifying glass upon themselves when examining the faults in an enemy.  
  
His attempts to make his case to the Detective had gone poorly though. It didn't exactly help that the spawn adored her. He would admonish the child for her poor taste in friends, but it appeared she adored him too. Although he suspected her preference lay with the demon, much to his chagrin. Not that he desired her attention of course, it was just... he deserved it more.  
  
“So, I'm going to be seeing you around here a lot more now then?” she asked, her tone revealing exactly how she felt about the prospect of such a thing.  
  
He allowed himself a small smile. “It would appear so.”  
  
“ _Pathetic_.” The word was muttered under her breath but he heard it anyway, his eyes snapping to meet hers as he glared. Her animosity towards him had only grown since his refusal to accept her apology, almost as if she wanted to give him reason to hate her more.

That, however, was not how he felt, not exactly. It was hard to hate someone who had stood by your side for millennia. Anger though, that he could do. Maze had tortured him in a way that only she could. She had made him weak, and that weakness in turn had pushed the Detective even closer to Pierce, which was an transgression he could not abide.  
  
Linda had told him this was simply transference, something he was more than au fait with. Pierce was gone, in Hell where he belonged. That left only Maze for him to direct his fury towards, which is exactly what he was doing. Perhaps one day, the rage inside him would die out, vanish as though it had never existed. It had certainly happened before when it came to his once faithful companion.

For now though, all he could see when he looked at her was Pierce as he ordered his men to shoot. All he could feel was her knife in his hand as he pulled it out of the human he'd just killed.  
  
How could he forgive her when he hadn't yet forgiven himself?  
  
“No more pathetic than having to grovel to every human I know, Mazikeen,” he retorted. She wasn’t the only one who knew exactly where those weak spots were, and just how to strike them.

There was the flinch he’d been looking for. Maze quickly recovered though, a wicked grin slowly appearing as she spoke. “How did you get back into Decker’s good books anyway?” He stiffened, and she noticed, her grin widening. “Haven’t told her everything yet huh? Still scared she’ll run away?”

Whether that was a lucky guess or the Detective had told her of their conversation out on the balcony that night he didn’t know, but he suspected it was the former. He couldn’t picture her talking to Maze about their relationship, such as it was. Nor did he imagine the demon being willing to listen to it anyway.

“I have answered every question she has asked me,” he said warily, both wondering and dreading where Maze was going with this.

“Ah, but has she asked the right questions? She knows who I am, knows everything I’ve done. Can you say the same, Mr. _I was more of a delegator_?”

He stayed silent, knowing full well that he hadn’t told her all there was to know about his past yet. The risk of driving her away when he’d only just got her back was too great.

“Granted, I get a pass because I’m basically a built in babysitter, but you? We all know how she feels about you, it’s disgustingly obvious. She’s even starting doing that stupid dewy-eyed thing when she talks about you again.”

Maze shuddered, but he barely noticed, hope blooming in his chest. Then the demon smiled at him, slow and sinister.

“How long do you think that will last once she knows?”

Immediately that hope was replaced with anger. He knew a threat when he heard one, and Maze had no limits when it came to punishing someone she believed had wronged her. It seemed refusing to accept her apology had placed him firmly in that camp.

“Be careful, Mazikeen. There is a line, and you are very close to crossing it.” There was a tremor in his voice that could easily be mistaken for fear, but it was barely controlled fury that fueled it. As his companion for millennia, Maze should have been able to tell the difference. Apparently, she did not.

“Just think, poor, innocent little Chloe finding out exactly what her _angel_ was up to all those years in Hell. The pain he caused, the punishments he inflicted, the pleasure took in-”

His hand was around her throat before he even registered the fact he was moving. “You will say nothing,” he growled, “or I shall grant your wish and take you home after all.”

That, he knew, was the last thing she wanted now, having repaired her relationship with Linda and then some. He swore he saw her pale for a moment, and not at his words. For that split second, she’d been afraid. Maze was never afraid, not of anyone, and certainly not of him. He loosened his grip slightly.

It only took her a second or two to recover, her usual mask of fearlessness slipping back into place as though it had never left. “Or perhaps I won’t need to say anything at all,” she said with a smirk, focusing on something behind him.

The next thing he heard made his heart drop into the pit of his stomach.

“COOL! You have another face too?! That’s awesome!”

Two things happened simultaneously. He turned on the spot, his glamour quickly covering the monstrous face he hadn’t even known had appeared. The spawn was stood there, an expression of pure delight on her face as Maze started laughing viciously.

“Did I forget to mention it was my turn to pick the kid up from school today? Can’t imagine Decker being best pleased with this when she gets home, can you?”

_Shit._

_..._

Half an hour later and he still hadn’t managed to convince the spawn not to tell her mother. All forms of bribery had failed, cake and money having somehow lost their appeal to the child. A tactic he had used too often perhaps. Even his suggestion that he take her flying had been turned down despite her obvious temptation to accept, a look of wonder in her eyes.

The Detective had already texted to apologise for being late, and she was now due home any minute. He was getting desperate. It wasn’t that the little urchin hadn’t offered a deal, it was just one he wasn’t willing to accept. Something he had never offered in all his time in exchange for a favour.

“I don’t know what I want right now,” she’d said slyly, in a way that reminded him far too much of her babysitter for his taste. “Maybe I could decide later?”

A blank cheque. The spawn wanted a blank cheque, and there was no way he was going to give it to her.

No way at all.

He heard the sound of keys in the door.

“Deal.”

…

_Present day._

The same dread that had consumed him since his arrival seemed to have multiplied exponentially at the sight of what lay before him. The Detective reached for his hand, squeezing softly, her face warm and encouraging. He may not have wanted to be here, but she did. Even if he had not been bound by the deal he had made, he would have willingly still have done this for her. He would face the nightmarish vision ahead and conquer it, just as he had when he drove through the gates of this hellish place, as the child and her mother pointed at the symbol of his impending torture with glee.

He could still see it now, that elegant script mocking him with its lies.

_Welcome to Disney World._

_Where dreams come true._


	2. Contemporary, my dear Decker

Chloe woke disorientated, twisted in the sheets of an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar place. She turned to the body lying next to her and smiled. It was rare that Trixie joined her these days, her little girl not being quite so little anymore. After practically bouncing off the walls for most of the day she’d crashed into bed exhausted, but that obviously hadn’t stopped her from waking at some point during the night to crawl in beside Chloe and hog most of the mattress.

A skill she had apparently inherited from her mother, if Lucifer was to be believed.

And he always was.  
  
She knew that now.

...

The last 24 hours or so had been a blur. It started off with her being completely confused, after arriving at the station to find all of her cases reassigned and the lieutenant asking why she wasn’t at home packing. “Packing for what?” she’d asked, but her superior had merely shrugged, explaining that she didn’t know where she was going but that her partner had been quite insistent that she was due some time off.

 _Of course it was Lucifer_.

Insistent probably wasn’t the right word either, this lieutenant just as much putty in his hands as Monroe had been when it came to his ability to persuade her to do something. Nevertheless, Chloe had headed home, wondering the entire way what on earth could be awaiting her.

What she hadn’t anticipated was an over-excited daughter, suitcases and a rather anxious looking Lucifer. Okay, so perhaps suitcases weren’t exactly out of the realm of possibility, the Devil more than likely having no qualms about whisking her away on short notice if he deemed it fit to do so. But taking Trixie? Who should be in school right now? That was… unexpected to say the least.

“Mommy! Mommy! We’re going to Disney World!”

And that was about the point she started to wonder if she’d managed to slip into an alternate dimension during the drive home. Lucifer had nervously adjusted his cufflinks before stepping forward and holding up a hand, silently signalling for Trixie to be quiet while he attempted to offer an explanation.

But there was no need.

“I thought I said no more deals with Trixie, Lucifer.”

He had frozen on the spot, taken aback by her having figured out the reason behind all of this without him having uttered a single word.

“What did you get her to agree to this time?”

“I’m not at liberty to say, Detective,” he’d replied, followed by him grumbling under his breath, _“Although I think you’ll find it was the other way around.”_

Of course, her next step had been to direct her attention to her daughter, but Lucifer had quickly thwarted that by stepping in front of her, interrupting Chloe before she had a chance to speak. “And neither is the child I’m afraid.”

Her concern must have shown on her face, because the next thing she knew Lucifer had gingerly taken her hand. “I can assure you though, it is nothing harmful.”

His hand had been warm and comforting against her own, and she felt the loss keenly when he withdrew. There was no reason to place her hand in his again though, no reason at all. Even if she had desperately tried to think of one.

“We can go, right, Mommy? Pleeeeease?”

Her daughter’s pleading had snapped her back to the matter at hand, and in her mind she’d quickly run through a list of what would need to be done to make such a trip happen. Holiday forms for Trixie’s school… travel insurance… Lucifer had obviously arranged for her to take time off work, but she highly doubted he’d thought of sorting _all_ the logistics.

Again though, he’d known what she was thinking. “Everything has already been arranged, Detective. The spawn has been granted a reprieve from her education, the accommodation and tickets have been purchased, and I am fairly certain forgiveness from your progeny will not be easily granted should you refuse to acquiesce. So may we leave? The plane awaits.”

He had her between a rock and a hard place, and he knew it. Part of her cursed him for agreeing to this with Trixie behind her back. And yet, Orlando had been a long-time dream, one that neither she nor Dan had quite been able to afford during the years they were together. Disneyland was on the doorstep, but Disney World...

Wide puppy-dog eyes had looked up at her, her daughter attempting to tug on heartstrings that Chloe had strengthened long ago after having fallen for this ploy far too often. But this time it was different. This time she had _two_ sets of eyes beseeching her, her partner’s deep brown orbs searching deep into her own, willing her to say yes. She was immune to his powers, and yet she had to wonder if this is what it felt like for everyone else when he was at his most persuasive.

_The Devil made me do it indeed._

With the two of them working together she’d never stood a chance. No sooner had she nodded her agreement than her daughter’s arms were wrapped around her, with Lucifer flashing her a grin before he started to load up the car.

Trixie had tugged on her arm a little, and she’d bent down just enough so her monkey could whisper in her ear. “I only meant Disneyland, Mommy, I promise. I think Lucifer got confused.”

“I most certainly did not,” her partner had replied as he came back through the door, picking up the rest of the luggage with ease. “Disney World is far superior, and you and your Mother can visit Disneyland anytime.” He was almost halfway out of the door before he paused, popping his head back around to wink at Chloe. “Besides, bigger is always better, wouldn’t you agree, Detective?”

As she flushed, the thought occurred to her that she was going to be spending several innuendo filled days with Lucifer… and her daughter. Who was eventually going to cotton on and start asking her to explain some of these things. Even worse, she had a sneaking suspicion that if she didn’t answer, the Devil was going to be next her the list to interrogate… and he didn’t lie. Sex education wasn’t exactly how she’d pictured their first trip to Disney World together.

With a sigh, she’d quickly checked the apartment over to check there wasn’t anything she needed to do before they left, and then Lucifer was blaring the horn outside, shouting at them to get a shift on. Trixie was in the car in seconds, her little girl as high as if she’d just finished an entire chocolate cake by herself. Which, knowing Lucifer, she probably already had.

It wasn’t until she’d gotten in the car herself that she realised the one thing that really could turn this entire holiday into a disaster.

Lucifer had packed her clothes for her.

…

They flew first class, of course. She’d argued against it, but Lucifer had simply given her an incredulous look before replying that “I don’t fly coach, darling, and it would be rather ungentlemanly for me to seat you and the child elsewhere, would it not?”

He had her there. He’d continued, pointing out that they could have taken his private plane, _because of course he had a private plane_ , but he thought she might find that a little ostentatious. Which she would have done. How the man could both simultaneously know her so well yet sometimes not seem to know her at all she would never understand.

When they pulled up at the hotel she’d been surprised yet again. The last time she’d looked into visiting, the accommodation had been bright and colourful, with characters everywhere that Trixie would have known and loved. This couldn’t have been more different to that. A stark, grey building, it stood like a monolith against the bright blue sky. She’d been unable to fathom for the life of her why Lucifer had picked it, until she turned around and saw what was behind them.

“I thought the spawn would appreciate being able to see the castle every morning,” his soft voice had murmured in her ear. Trixie had yet to notice, and she hoped fervently that she wouldn’t until they reached their room, where the view was bound to be even more spectacular. “Is this not suitable, Detective?” Lucifer had asked worriedly, his concern no doubt caused by her silence.

“Lucifer...” she’d replied, awed. “It’s perfect.”

Relief flashed over his features, and he'd given her a small smile before heading off to tip the bellboy, who was currently struggling with the largest suitcase out of the trunk. Somehow she suspected that particular suitcase wasn't hers. Her partner gave him a helping hand as she watched, a bounce to his step that she hadn't seen in months. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed it.  
  
After checking in and leaving the hotel staff to deal with their bags, they'd headed into the main concourse, intent on grabbing some food. It was then that she noticed that Lucifer kept glancing at her, anticipation all over his face. A few more minutes ticked by as they each picked up their meals, and after they were seated, she'd finally given in. “What?”  
  
His smile was bright as he pointed overhead, just as an unfamiliar sound began to fill the space around them. “Look up, Detective.” Above them, a train had just pulled into a station... _i_ _nside_ the hotel. Lucifer’s childlike glee was catching, and even she had to admit that it was kind of-

“Cool!”

Her daughter was almost as impressed as her co-Disney conspirator. “Can we go on it later? Can we, Mom?”

“Sure, monkey.” She’d looked at Lucifer suspiciously after that, the Devil still focused on the train above them as it pulled away again. “Lucifer?” she asked, and reluctantly he’d turned his attention to her once more. “Did you happen to book this hotel simply because it had a train running through it?”

At first, he’d spluttered, looking like he had a million different explanations, none of which could be categorised as true enough to say. With the exception of the castle view for Trixie excuse of course. Finally, he’d given in. “It’s a monorail, not a train.”

She raised an eyebrow at that, because obviously the distinction was important somehow?

Brushing away an imaginary piece of lint from his suit, he’d looked down at the table before continuing. “I must admit, the concept… interested me.”

She’d chuckled to herself quietly as she smiled. “You can take the man out of the boy, but not the boy out of the man, I suppose.”

Her comment had caused him to frown then, and for a moment she thought she’d said the wrong thing.

“I was never a boy, Detective.”

A loud yawn interrupted them both, and Chloe turned to find her daughter practically face down in her food, the adrenaline from the events of the day having finally abated. “Time for bed, I think,” she said quietly, and Lucifer had nodded his agreement. It took a while, but eventually she convinced Trixie that it was time to go, that monorails and castles could wait until morning, and the three of them made their way upstairs.

Into one of the most beautiful hotel rooms she’d ever seen. Trixie crawled onto the nearest bed as soon as they entered, but Chloe had immediately been drawn to the window, where the lights of Disney World could be seen in the distance. A slight cough from behind made her turn around, and she'd found Lucifer still standing awkwardly in the doorway.

“Should you or the child need anything...”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine, Lucifer. If not, your room is right next to ours, right?”

Her question received a short, sharp nod in response, and he started to move away. Then he stopped, turning back to look at her one last time. “Goodnight, Detective.”

There had been sadness in his eyes then. She wanted to chase it away, to bring back the sparkle that had been there earlier. But she didn’t know if she could, or more importantly, if she _should_ , not yet. So instead she smiled, hoping he knew just how happy he’d made her today.

“Goodnight, Lucifer.”

The door closed behind him and she’d started to relax, examining her surroundings and continuing to smile at the sight of her little girl spark out on the bed. It was then that she realised she hadn’t heard Lucifer enter his room. Opening the door just enough as she could poke her head out, she'd been just in time to see him heading back down towards the lobby.

He’d forgotten something, that’s what she’d told herself. But the sinking feeling in her chest had made her admit the truth. They’d barely been here a day and he was already going out… to look for someone else. She had no right to be jealous, she knew that. They weren’t together. They had never even _been_ together.

And anyway, being together now came with whole ream of complications she couldn’t have ever imagined. She’d considered their relationship complicated enough before. Add in that Lucifer was actually the Devil, an angel, _immortal_... and it had suddenly become a knot that she didn’t even know how to begin to untangle.

Still, it stung.

It was those thoughts that had accompanied her to bed that night, for a restless sleep that didn’t improve after hearing her partner return at gone 2am.

Her last thought as she closed her eyes again was that she hoped he was alone.

…

The sunlight began to creep in from behind the curtains, and reluctantly Chloe decided it was probably time to get up. She would have preferred an extra hour or two in bed, but that was going to be an impossible dream once Trixie was awake. Stretching, she held back a yawn as she padded across the room as silently as possible, grabbing a robe and slipping out onto the balcony.

The view was just as stunning as she imagined it would be. The Magic Kingdom spread out before her, a preview of the day that lay ahead. There was more than one park to choose from of course, but much like their occasional trips to Disneyland when time and money allowed, it felt traditional to start with a visit to the castle. She grinned at the thought of Trixie’s reaction to all this when she woke up.

Then the smile abruptly slid off her face as a voice from the neighbouring balcony made her jump. “Good morning, Detective.” She looked across to find Lucifer sprawled out on one of the sun loungers, already impeccably dressed in a suit that was in no way suitable for hours spent queuing for rides in the heat. Then again, she supposed, he was used to places far hotter.

“Good morning.” She looked at the coffee cup he was holding longingly, wondering if the barista really thought that the charming man they’d served this morning was named _Loocifer_. It didn’t take him long to notice.

“Ah,” he said, setting it down on a nearby table. “One moment.” Standing, he stretched out those long limbs of his. Then, there was flash of white, and he disappeared right in front of her.

_So that’s what that looks like._

Less than five minutes later and he returned, accompanied by a gust of wind. “Your coffee, m’lady,” he said with a bow, dramatically presenting her with a cup of her own across the balcony, _Detective_ emblazoned on the side.

She laughed, and then sighed in pleasure as she drank. He always did know exactly how she liked her coffee. “I could get used to this, you know,” she mused idly.

Whether she meant hot drinks supplied to her door every morning or spending those mornings with him, she wasn’t sure.

“I am not a winged delivery service, Detective,” he said, brushing down and straightening out his suit as he spoke. “But in times of desperate need…”

“Such as being on vacation?” she said playfully, and he grinned in response. “How far did you have to fly to get this, anyway?” It suddenly struck her that she spoke about flying as ordinarily as she did walking, and she wondered when exactly she’d reached _that_ point.

“Barely any distance at all. They have Starbucks in the parks now.”

He said the last part with distaste. She raised an eyebrow at him, silently enquiring as to why.

“It’s not what Walt would have wanted,” he said with a shrug. “Disney World was supposed to be an escape from the real world, not somewhere that reminded you of it.”

Just as she was about to voice her agreement, another, more pressing thought occurred to her. “Wait. You knew Walt Disney?” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Of course you knew Walt Disney. Is there anyone famous you _didn’t_ know at some point?”

He merely gave her a sly smile. “There was a lot of land needed to be purchased for this park, darling, a lot of deals needing to be done.” He spread his arms wide. “Who better to help out than the Devil?”

If she wasn’t still holding her coffee she would have put her head in her hands. Sometimes she missed being able to describe Lucifer as _unbelievable_. Although by reputation, he certainly was that in bed.

 _Woah_. Bad thought. Especially after last night.

“Have your guests left already?” she asked, perhaps slightly more bitterly than she intended. As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted saying anything. Not only was it none of her business, but she’d just made it painfully obvious that she knew he’d been out half the night. And worse, that she was unhappy about it.

He frowned at her, but moments later realisation dawned. “Rest assured, Detective, there will be no guests, not while we are here. Nor will I be paying any visits myself, as it were. After all, we are on vacation together, are we not? It would be rather remiss of me to abandon you.”

And now she felt guilty for even asking, despite it hardly being outside of the realms of usual behaviour for him. She couldn’t help but wonder where he’d been though, and he must have known what was on her mind because he continued talking. “I will however, be looking for other forms of amusement in the evenings. I don’t require as much rest as humans, and I finding myself reluctant to while away the hours in a hotel room at night.”

She nodded. It was understandable. “You do _need_ sleep though.” It wasn’t really a question, the memory of how he’d been after days of refusing to sleep still fresh in her mind. That feeling of guilt washed over her once more. “I should apologise.” He turned, looking at her strangely. “That week… you were going through something and I wasn’t there for you. In fact, I think I might have actually made things worse. I’m sorry.”

“Water under the bridge, Detective,” he replied, before taking a sip of his coffee. “You had... other priorities at the time.” That same sadness from the previous evening returned and she wanted to say something, anything that would take it away, but when she opened her mouth to speak he shook his head. “And besides, you were right. I did care.”

For a moment, she was puzzled as to what he meant. Then she remembered. _“_ _I couldn't care less that you're with that insolent dullard_ _…”_ A lie from the man who never lied, except to himself. She knew now, of course, why he’d done what he did. Or rather, why he’d done nothing when he should have. It had taken her weeks to understand it, and even longer to forgive it. There were times, even now, that she still felt angry.

But that wasn’t what she wanted to talk about, not today.

“What did you mean yesterday, when you said you were never a boy?”

She leant against the railing, watching as the corner of his mouth curled up wryly. He fished a cigarette out of his pocket, followed by a lighter. “Exactly that, Detective. Angels were created with purpose, each of us with a job to do. Starting off as children wouldn’t have exactly been conducive to that aim, not with any immediacy at least.”

“God was in a rush?” she teased, but Lucifer barely chuckled.

“Well one does like to get going with a new hobby.” Pausing, he flicked his lighter a few times before lighting his cigarette and taking a deep drag. “And Dad did always like his projects.”

“And you lit the stars for him,” she said softly. It was one of the revelations that had seen her hightailing it out of Lux one evening, the information too much to comprehend. Her partner was the angel who had put the stars in the sky, who ignited the sun, who was essentially responsible for life on Earth being able to _exist_.

But he was also the man who had been known to juggle silicone boobs at crime scenes.

She still hadn’t quite figured out how to put those two things together, and if she were honest with herself, she wasn’t sure that she ever would.

He simply nodded, eyes fixed on the sun as it continued to rise.

“How old were you, when you fell?” She asked the question without thinking, and immediately regretted it when she saw him stiffen. It was a topic he found difficult to talk about with any degree of depth, something she’d discovered during the many hours they’d spent together going over his past.

“I’m unsure exactly. Angels don’t have birthdays. Neither do Devils.” He smiled at her, small but fond, and she knew he was remembering an evening filled with wings and music, first embraces and drinks that shouldn’t taste good but did. “In terms of a human though… a teenager perhaps? Certainly not more than that.”

Just the idea of it filled her with anger. To have been that young, to have made a mistake and been punished so severely for it. It made her want to scream at the sky on his behalf, to demand answers from a Father willing to treat his son that way.

But she daren’t, not yet. Whenever she brought the subject up Lucifer would tell her there was much she didn’t know, and she’d learned to tread carefully during those times. Instead, she treated the conversation lightly, much like Lucifer himself tended to do when the discussion got too serious for his liking.

“Just another teenage rebellion then?”

He outright grinned at that, stubbing out his cigarette and throwing it behind him, where it landed perfectly in the bin he’d placed there. “Quite the rebellion though, wouldn’t you say?”

“Hmm.” She sighed then. “I suppose I have that to look forward to with Trixie.”

“Ah. I wouldn’t worry too much, the chances of her changing the course of humanity are quite slim, I would imagine.”

She blinked. Life was a lot easier when he would come out with statements like that and she could dismiss them as yet another crazy delusion. “Do you regret it?” The question slipped out, something she’d been wondering about for a while, but had never found the right moment to ask. Perhaps because there simply wasn’t one.

To her surprise, he actually answered her.

“In the beginning? Yes. I started a war in Heaven, Detective. Even if you could begin to imagine what that was like, I can assure you, it was worse. I lost everything I had ever known as a result. Who wouldn’t regret that?”

His hands gripped the railing tightly, and she wondered if he was leaving indentations under his fingertips. Then slowly he relaxed, picking up his coffee again and draining it as he looked out over the horizon.

“But now? I’m not sure I regret all of it. The day I meddled with Eden… I had no thought for the consequences. These creatures who had been given free will, the one thing I coveted above all else... their lives, their future, it meant nothing to me. All that mattered was striking a blow against my Father.”

He shook his head, then paused, before looking down at the ground below, where people were milling about, many of them making their way to the park, their hotel stay having granted them early entry.

“Having watched humanity grow though? And living amongst you all these past few years? Well, I can’t bring myself to regret it. If not for me, you could all very well be swanning about naked in a garden right now.”

He crumpled the now empty coffee cup in his hand and chucked it behind him to join the cigarette from earlier.

“But who knows, perhaps you would have all gotten here anyway. Father “has a plan” after all.” He huffed. “For all I know he could have orchestrated the whole bloody thing. Eden, the rebellion, my fall… all to get you where you are today.” Turning to look at her, he stepped back from the railing, drawing to his full height once more. “I don’t believe that though. I _can’t_ believe it. Because if it were true… well that makes it all pointless, doesn’t it?”

“…Doesn’t it? Detective?”

On some level she was still listening to him talk, but the truth was her brain had short circuited somewhere around _you’d all be naked in a garden._ Her partner was, in a way, responsible for everything around her, all that humanity had achieved.

Without him, even _clothes_ wouldn’t exist. It seemed an odd thing to latch onto, clothes, but for some reason it was all she could think about.  
  
_No clothes means no suits. No wonder he doesn’t regret it._

Suddenly, there was a tentative hand on her shoulder and she found Lucifer standing beside her. ”It’s okay, Detective. I’m still me, remember? Just me.”

She took a deep, shuddering breath as she came back to herself. “I know,” she said, turning to face him. “I know that. It’s just… there’s you, and then there’s _you_. You know?”

He smiled at her kindly. “I’m afraid there’s a few too many yous in that sentence for me to fully understand… but I’m grateful that you’re trying to.”

His hand on her shoulder remained, and she covered it with her own. “Of course I’m trying, Lucifer, you’re my friend.”

He nodded slightly as he pulled his hand away, his smile not quite reaching his eyes anymore. “I couldn’t hope for anything more,” he replied.

A noise from inside the room behind them reminded her that she was going to have to start dealing with a hyperactive ten year old in a matter of minutes. She grinned up at Lucifer. “Ready to face the day?”

He spread his arms wide, indicating his already very well put together appearance in comparison to her robe. “Do I not look ready?”

Her grin grew wider, and she could see the slightest hint of fear on his face as a result. “Not in the slightest.”

Now he looked even more concerned, and she couldn’t help but feel bad about that.

“Hey,” she said softly, catching him by the hand again. “You don’t have to come into the park with us you know. You brought Trixie to Disney World; that means you held up your end of the bargain, right?”

He sighed. “Normally you would be correct, Detective, I do tend to honour my deals to the letter when it suits me. However, I believe she would be…” he cast a glance towards the bedroom, “disappointed.”

Her heart warmed at that, at the man who cared for more for her daughter than he would ever realise.

“I suppose I should get dressed,” she said, awaiting a suggestive response, the likes of which she hadn’t heard in a while. The kind of comment that she actually missed, although she would never admit it

Instead, all she got was a nod. “Very well.” And just like that, he was gone again.

It wasn’t until much later that she realised that when he said _I couldn’t hope for anything more_ he actually meant that he _didn’t_ hope for anything more.

Because he thought they could never be together now.

The problem was, she thought the same thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Although I have visited the Contemporary resort, I am by no means as rich as Lucifer, so I have yet to stay there. I am, however, aware that the balconies are designed in such a way as you cannot talk across them. Artistic license is a wonderful thing!
> 
> Next up... the Magic Kingdom and we really get into the fun stuff!

**Author's Note:**

> Some angst got into my fluff. I apologise.


End file.
